Drift Away
by DCFanatic4life
Summary: Will Chris Jericho get to tell Stephanie McMahon he loves her...or will it be too late? Completed
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or real people portrayed in this fic. They belong to themselves, and their characters belong to Vince McMahon and WWE.  
  
~  
  
He was going to tell her. He was actually going to tell her. He had been harboring these feelings for her for so long, and it was time to let them out. He just couldn't keep it in any longer, it was too much. He wanted her to know how he felt, wanted her to know how much she meant to him.  
  
He had loved her for so long, though she'd never realized it. He just wanted her attention so badly, and unfortunately, it came in the form of teasing. He didn't mean to tease her at first, but it just turned out that way. And the crowd had loved it so he went with it.  
  
He hated seeing her unhappy, and he knew his words made her unhappy. Most of the time he just wanted to let it out, to tell her and the whole world that he was in love with her. But he never got the chance. He never quite reached the level of bravery he knew had to come with such an admission.  
  
And then there was her damn husband. He was always hanging around her, as if he owned her. He didn't own her, he never had. You couldn't own somebody, but he seemed to think that she was all his, and only his, and she couldn't even be friends with other guys. He would never have treated her that way.  
  
The day he found out they were getting a divorce was the happiest day in his life so far. He finally felt like he had found that opening. That opening that would lead him straight into her heart. And she came to him, she came to him because she needed him.  
  
Ok, maybe she hadn't needed him per se. She used him, she used him for revenge, and he let her. Of course he let her, he loved her. He let her walk all over him, let her boss him around because he loved her. Every so often he would look in her eyes, just to see if the flame that she fueled in his eyes could be matched in hers. It never was.  
  
It was hard to look into her eyes and only see revenge. That's all she cared about, not about him, not about them, just getting revenge on the husband who had betrayed her. He wanted to tell her on a number of occasions that he could be the one to bring happiness to her eyes, he could be the one who showed her what love was meant to be about.  
  
But he was such a chicken he was never able to do it. He'd look into her cold eyes and chicken out. So many times he'd opened his mouth to say it, to say the words that he were burning in his heart. But they never came out, the only things that came out were the polite responses to her every request.  
  
And then she was gone, she had to leave. He had apologized and she had actually smiled at him. She had never truly smiled at him, and he felt the warm sense of contentment wash over him as she flashed him a genuine smile. She had forgiven him, said she needed time off, and this was just a way to get it. Then she had hugged him. A platonic hug, but a hug nonetheless. And that was it.  
  
She came back, and the feelings surged through him even greater. She hardly gave him the time of day the day she came back and that hurt. All the hopes he felt since the last time they had seen each other crumbled as she refused to hug him. In that one moment, his hope was shattered. And like the wuss he had become around her, he had fled to the safe show. Fled away from her, away from the feelings that plagued him, that kept him up at night, that haunted him.  
  
He tried to forget her. He really truly did. He actually went out with Trish to try to get over her, but it failed miserably. He wanted Trish to be her, wanted to be on a date with her. But it was never her. Except for his dreams, it was always her in his dreams.  
  
But today, at the Pay-Per-View, he was telling her, he was going to tell her everything he had been feeling. Maybe, just maybe she felt the same way. Maybe she pined for him just as much as he for her. Hey, anything was possible right? It could happen.  
  
"Just tell her you moron," he said to himself. He looked at his reflection.  
  
"It won't be hard, you just tell her, and then she'll know...And she'll reject you, kick you out of her office, and you'll blow any chance you have with her," he sighed.  
  
His roommate walked into the room. Kurt looked at him looking at himself and wondered what was up. He had been broody for a while, and wanted to know why.  
  
"Hey man, what's got you so down?"  
  
"I'm telling her today," Chris said.  
  
"Whoa, you're actually going to tell her?" Kurt asked.  
  
"Yup, I'm actually going to tell her, I'm telling her everything."  
  
"I can't believe it. Ten bucks says you chicken out."  
  
"Thanks for the vote of confidence."  
  
"You are a huge pansy where she is concerned. You'll never be able to tell her."  
  
"Well, today I am. I'm getting her flowers and everything."  
  
"Ooh, going all out are we?"  
  
"You bet. I want to impress her."  
  
"You'll have to do a lot of impressing."  
  
"Whatever Kurt, leave me alone. I have to prepare."  
  
"Prepare?"  
  
"Psych myself up, I'm nervous."  
  
"You're always nervous where she's concerned. Just don't screw this up man."  
  
"Trust me, I won't."  
  
********************  
  
Chris walked out of his locker room, flowers in hand. He was truly going to do it, he was going to tell her everything about his feelings, his hopes for them, his love for her. He smiled nervously and took a deep breath before walking down the corridor. It was do or die time.  
  
"Jericho!" he heard someone yell behind him. He turned to see Kurt running down the hallway frantically.  
  
"Hey Kurt, I'm going to go talk to her."  
  
"She's not there Chris."  
  
"What do you mean she's not there? She hasn't arrived yet?"  
  
"She's not arriving."  
  
"What, she can't skip a Pay-Per-View."  
  
Kurt looked at Chris, "She was in a car accident."  
  
Chris's hands became limp, and the bouquet of pink roses fell to the ground lifelessly. Chris gasped, unaware that he had even done so. He stared blankly at Kurt, hoping that Kurt was playing some joke on him, some stupid joke to get him to calm down.  
  
"How-is she...." Chris's voice trailed off.  
  
"I didn't hear the details, but it's not good man."  
  
Chris felt tears welling up his eyes. He couldn't move, he was frozen in this spot. His body wasn't functioning properly. It wasn't functioning at all. He felt like collapsing, but his body remained rigid and taut.  
  
"Where? How? When?" The questions poured out.  
  
"I don't know, a little while ago, she was blindsided, apparently the guy wasn't looking and slammed into her."  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"I'm not sure, I think I remember, but I'm not sure."  
  
Chris grabbed Kurt by the collar, "Where is she!?!"  
  
"I think they send County Medical."  
  
Chris let go of Kurt and ran out of the arena without looking back. He got into his car and drove blindly to the hospital. If you asked him, he couldn't even tell you how he got there. He parked hastily and ran inside.  
  
"Stephanie McMahon," he said breathlessly to one of the on-call nurses.  
  
"Excuse me?" she asked.  
  
"Stephanie McMahon, where is she?"  
  
"Hold on sir," she checked her database, "She's in the ICU, 4th floor."  
  
Chris was already running towards the elevator. He tapped his foot impatiently as the elevator lurched upwards. As soon as the elevator arrived, he was out of it. He looked around quickly, and saw Vince and Linda sitting down, both with tears in their eyes. They looked up and saw Chris Jericho standing there.  
  
"Chris, what are you doing here?" Vince asked.  
  
"I need to see her, please," he said.  
  
"But, why?"  
  
"Please Vince, I'm begging you," Chris pleaded.  
  
Vince glanced at Linda, who nodded slightly, "Go ahead, but don't upset her in any way."  
  
"Is she awake?" Chris said hopefully.  
  
"No, she's in a coma. They don't know if she's going to make it," Vince managed to choke out.  
  
Chris winced at the words, "Thank you for letting me see her."  
  
Chris walked away and slowly made his way into the room. Stephanie was hooked up to a million different machines. Her face was covered in black and blue, he could barely make out her face. She looked like she was sleeping, but Chris knew better. He sat next to her and took one of her lifeless hands in his.  
  
"Hi Stephanie, it's me Chris. I bet you're wondering why I'm here. You couldn't have picked worse timing could you?"  
  
He felt tears starting to roll down his eyes. The only other sound in the room besides him was the rhythmic beeping of one of the machines she was hooked up to. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and continued.  
  
"Steph, I love you. I was going to tell you today, but then you had to go and land yourself in the hospital. But I love you. I've loved you since before I started teasing you. I've loved you through everything. I've always been in the background making sure that you were ok. I know you used me Steph, I know you didn't care about me, but I love you. I love everything about you, good and bad. I was willing to look past everything for you, willing to do anything for you."  
  
She lay still, and he pressed on further in his speech.  
  
"You mean the world to me. You made work worth going to, just to see you. You made every beating, every sledgehammer shot worth it, just to see a smile on your face. You made everything in my life worth it just by being there."  
  
He wiped some tears away again, and grasped her hand tighter.  
  
"Please don't leave me Steph, I don't know what I'd do without you. I went to Raw, and I hate it there, I hated being away from you. And I was such a wuss, I couldn't tell you how I felt because I feared you would reject me. That's why I left. Not because of you, but because of my own fears. You just never paid any attention to me unless you wanted something."  
  
He stood up and peered down at her. Her eyes closed peacefully, and her lips turned up into what could be construed as a dreamy smile. If it weren't for the deep bruises and stark white of the bandages adorning her head, he would think her taking a nap while having a beautiful dream.  
  
"But now you may never get to know how much I love you. And I love you Stephanie, please hold on, please use all your strength to hold on. I need you, I need you so badly."  
  
He brushed away a stray lock of hair that was covering her face.  
  
"Please don't go," he whispered painfully.  
  
It was then that the rapid beeping started, and the doctors pushed him out of the room.  
  
He took one last look at her.  
  
THE END...  
  
Unless you want me to continue. :) 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I decided, probably against my better judgment to continue this story. The last one-parter I made into a series was "Hugs and Kisses" and we all know what a monstrosity of a fic that turned into. Hope this one can be just as good. :)  
  
~  
  
Chris watched as the doctors rushed in to help Stephanie. He stood frozen as they worked frantically on her. This whole thing was like a nightmare. Some horrible nightmare that he was forced to endure. It seemed like it was just some terrible other reality as he watched them try to save Stephanie's life.  
  
"Chris, what exactly are you doing here?" Vince asked.  
  
Chris turned around and faced him, "I heard about Stephanie and I had to come and see her."  
  
"I thought you didn't like her."  
  
Chris sat down heavily on one of the hard hospital chairs, "I love her Vince."  
  
"What?"  
  
Chris ran his hands through his hair, "I'm in love with your daughter, and I have been for the longest time."  
  
"Well, this is quite a surprise," he said, not knowing exactly what to say.  
  
"No it's not," Linda piped in. Chris and Vince both looked at her, shock plainly on their faces.  
  
"Excuse me?" Chris said.  
  
"Chris, I knew you were in love with her. Very deeply I think."  
  
"I was going to tell her today, but then this happened. And now I may never get to tell her," he said sadly, tears starting to reform in his eyes.  
  
Linda moved to sit next to him, and wrapped a comforting arm around him, "Shh, don't think like that. We have to stay positive. All of us."  
  
They waited while the doctors continued to work on Stephanie. The three people sitting outside all had the worst running through their brains. An eternity later one of the doctors came out of the room.  
  
"Are you with Ms. McMahon?"  
  
"Yes, we are," Linda answered, grasping Vince's hand, preparing for the worst.  
  
"We've stabilized her for now." They all breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"However we don't know if her brain functions are normal. We're running tests later to find out."  
  
"Are you saying she may be brain dead?" Vince asked.  
  
"It is a possibility."  
  
Linda started crying in earnest. Vince wrapped his arms around her and let her cry in his shoulder. Chris stared blankly at the door to Stephanie's room. He didn't know what to do. He felt helpless and the feeling was so foreign to him.  
  
"And if she is?" Chris asked, taking control of his vocal chords.  
  
"Then the only thing keeping her alive would be the machines. If the test do show that she is, it would be in your and her best interest to consider letting her go," he said gently.  
  
Chris nodded mutely, "Vince, I have to go to the arena for the show, but will you please keep me posted?"  
  
"Are you sure you're ok to wrestle. I don't want anyone else hurt tonight."  
  
"I think I need to get my mind off of this. I'll be fine."  
  
"If you're sure?"  
  
"I am."  
  
"Then good luck."  
  
"Thanks," Chris said, walking away.  
  
Vince called out after him, "Chris?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"If Stephanie makes it through this, you both have my blessing."  
  
"That's going under the assumption that she would actually return my feelings Vince."  
  
"If she's smart, and I know my daughter is smart, then she would return them."  
  
"I hope so," Chris said, then leaving.  
  
He drove slowly to the arena, just thinking about how this day had made a turn for the worse. And why he was the only one at the hospital with Vince and Linda. Didn't anyone else care that Stephanie was in the hospital let alone maybe her deathbed? What kind of assholes did he work with? He knew some people still harbored ill will towards the youngest McMahon, but still not even checking up on her while she was in the hospital, it was atrocious.  
  
Chris made it to the arena and got out of his car. He walked in and back to his locker. He didn't know what had happened to the flowers that he had gotten for Stephanie. Maybe he'd get her flowers later and put them in her room. It would be a nice contrast to the drab state it was in currently.  
  
Kurt walked into his locker room, "Hey man, how is she?"  
  
"Not good," Chris said quietly.  
  
"Is it really bad?"  
  
"She might be brain dead," he told him, choking on his words.  
  
"Oh my God," Kurt whispered to himself before sitting down next to him.  
  
They sat silently for a few moments, before Chris got up and grabbed his ring attire from his bag. He went into the bathroom and changed into his wrestling tights. He walked back out and grabbed his wrist tape and slowly started putting it on.  
  
"What are you doing?" Kurt asked, finally breaking free of his reverie.  
  
"I'm getting ready for my match."  
  
"Your match, you're not actually going to wrestle are you?" Kurt asked, in disbelief.  
  
"Yeah, I am."  
  
"But Stephanie, and you, and--"  
  
"I need to take my mind off of it for a while," Chris said, finishing up on his wrists.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes, I'm sure."  
  
"Fine. Are you going to the hospital later?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm going as soon as my match is over."  
  
"Would you mind if I came along?"  
  
"No, not at all. I'm sure that Stephanie would appreciate the visitors."  
  
"Good, I'll see you later then."  
  
"Yeah, later," Chris echoed.  
  
He walked out of the room, and to the gorilla. He jogged in place for a moment trying to loosen up. Tonight's match was quite appropriate for the situation. He was fighting none other than Stephanie's ex-husband, HHH. He would not only get to beat the tar out of the man who had broken Stephanie's heart, but he'd get to let out the pent-up anger he had at the situation of his life.  
  
He walked out into the arena in his character. If you looked at him, you would have thought nothing was wrong. But inside he was aching, his heart was aching. These people had no idea that inside he was hurting.  
  
He got to the ring and watched as HHH swaggered down to the ring, the title on his arm. A week before, Jericho would've cared about getting that title, but now, now he had bigger things on his mind. The woman he loved was lying in a hospital bed, and she may already be gone.  
  
HHH entered the ring and they immediately started brawling. Chris put all his focus into his match. He got the upper hand and whipped HHH into the corner. HHH's back bumped against the turnbuckle. Chris started chopping away on his chest. HHH could tell that he was pissed about something.  
  
"What the fuck is your problem?" HHH muttered.  
  
"Shut up asshole."  
  
HHH pushed him off and threw him into the ropes and nailed him with a clothesline. Chris was knocked on his back, and HHH started kicking him. Chris grabbed his legs and knocked HHH down and locked him in the Walls.  
  
"This is for Stephanie," Chris grunted as he locked them in tighter.  
  
HHH was forced to tap, but Chris didn't let go. The referees ran down to the ring and tried to get Chris off. After a few moments, Chris let go. He grabbed his newly won title and stalked backstage. He didn't care that he won the title. All he cared about was getting out of here and back to Stephanie.  
  
He was abruptly turned around and came face-to-face with HHH. Chris narrowed his eyes. He didn't have time for this shit. He turned to walk away again, but once again HHH spun him around.  
  
"What the hell do you want Trips?"  
  
"What the fuck was that out there?"  
  
"That was a match."  
  
"I know what it was, why the hell wouldn't you let go?"  
  
"I've got places to be."  
  
"No you don't, Hunter said, shoving him up against the wall.  
  
"I have to go see someone, leave me the hell alone."  
  
"No, right now, you're seeing me."  
  
"Your ex-wife is in the hospital," Chris blurted out.  
  
HHH froze, "What are you talking about?"  
  
"She was in an accident, she's in a coma."  
  
"No," he whispered.  
  
"Yes, and they don't know if she's ok. I have to be there."  
  
"I'm sorry, go," Hunter said, letting him go. He stood there for a long time.  
  
Chris ran to his locker room to find Kurt already dressed, ready, and waiting inside. He nodded quickly to Kurt and grabbed his things. He walked into the bathroom and took a quick shower and changed. As soon as he walked out the door, Kurt was up and they left. Not a word was spoken as they walked silently to Chris's car. They arrived at the hospital in no time and walked up to Stephanie's floor. Vince and Linda were still there.  
  
"Any word?" Chris asked as he walked up.  
  
"No, not yet," Linda said.  
  
"Have they done the tests."  
  
"Yes, they did them about an hour ago."  
  
"Ok," Chris nodded.  
  
"Hello Linda, Vince," Kurt said.  
  
"Kurt, it's nice that you could come," Linda said.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
The doctor came up to them just then, "We have the test results."  
  
"We're ready to hear them," Vince said. 


	3. Chapter 3

"There's no permanent damage."  
  
Chris had never been really religious, but at the moment he heard those words he had the urge to drop down to his knees and thank God. Those words had afforded him an immeasurable amount of comfort.  
  
"That's good right?" Vince said, "She'll be fine."  
  
"Well, there's no permanent damage, but there is some swelling."  
  
Chris's jubilation stopped abruptly and he looked up. This didn't sound too good. Why did the doctor have to start with the good news then go to the bad news? It wasn't fair that way, to get his hopes up to have them be dashed.  
  
"Swelling?" Linda asked, confused, "What kind of swelling?"  
  
"Well, there's some swelling around her brain where her head hit the steering wheel. It's nothing to be concerned about in the long run, but we'd like to keep an eye on her."  
  
"Will she be waking up soon?" Vince asked the doctor.  
  
"That we don't know. With situations like this it's really hard to tell when they will wake up, or if they will wake up."  
  
"Are you saying she might not wake up?"  
  
"There is that possibility."  
  
Chris wanted to cry. He wanted to just let all the tears that he knew were in him go. This couldn't be a reality, it just couldn't. He was supposed to tell Stephanie that he loved her, and she was supposed to fall into his arms so they could live happily ever after. Just like in the fairy tales. Well, this fairy tale had taken a tailspin.  
  
"But you said there wasn't damage," Kurt interjected.  
  
"Yes, but the body can go into shock. We're keeping her here to make sure that doesn't happen. The chances of her waking up are high, we just can't determine when."  
  
"And the longer she stays in a coma?" Linda said.  
  
"Well, the longer she stays in a coma, the slimmer her chances get. The body is a strange thing. Sometimes it shuts down and there's not much we can do."  
  
"So if she were to stay the way she is for months, or years, then what?"  
  
"Then it would be in her best interest to be taken off the respirator she's currently on."  
  
"So let her die?" Vince said.  
  
"If you want to put it that way, then yes."  
  
Chris stood up. He couldn't listen to this anymore. Stephanie didn't have any brain damage, but that still didn't mean that she was just going to wake up and suddenly be refreshed or anything. He wandered aimlessly around the hospital, and found himself at the chapel. He slowly walked inside and sat in one of the pews.  
  
He looked up at the stain glass windows. It was dark outside but the moonlight shone through and cast an eerie rainbow of colors across the otherwise dark room. In the corner there were candles burning, some unlit, waiting for some poor soul at the end of his rope to light them. Chris just sat there alone.  
  
"Please don't take her away from me," Chris whispered into the air.  
  
He wasn't particularly religious, but sitting here in the calmness of the chapel, talking to God seemed the right thing to do.  
  
"You don't know how much she means to me. Well, actually you do, but she doesn't. Please don't let her go before I can tell her how I feel. I just...I just need to tell her, so she knows. I've always just wanted her to know."  
  
Chris's eyes began to water.  
  
"I can't even remember when I fell in love with her. But I did. I didn't want to, she was a married woman. And one of the commandments is that you shouldn't want another man's wife isn't it? Well, I have to admit I was insanely jealous of Hunter. I wanted her, so badly, but I could never tell her. She would just sic her husband on me."  
  
The tears began to fall as Chris looked up at the stained glass.  
  
"But I still loved her. Through everything I loved her. Then when I finally get the courage to tell her, this happens. How can you be so cruel? All I ever wanted was her, and now that might be taken from me. I don't know what I'll do without her."  
  
He wiped his eyes.  
  
"Is that stupid of me? To think I wouldn't go on without her. I mean, she's not even mine to begin with, who am I to presume that I can feel this badly over her? I just want her to be ok. Not even for me, but for her and for her family. They don't deserve this. So please, I'm begging you, just let her be ok."  
  
Chris remained silent then and just stared off into space. The tears were still falling silently down his face, but he was too wrapped up in his thoughts to properly notice them. He didn't know what it felt like to have your life crumble before your eyes, but he didn't think it was much worse than right now.  
  
Kurt walked silently into the chapel. He had looked everywhere else for Chris. He saw Chris sitting in one of the pews crying. He really felt badly for his friend. He knew, probably more than anyone how much Chris actually loved Stephanie. This was probably tearing him up inside. He didn't know what else to do but be there for him.  
  
Kurt walked over and sat next to Chris. Chris barely even noticed that he had come and sat down next to him. All he cared about right now was Stephanie's well-being. Kurt cleared his throat and Chris finally turned his head and acknowledged the other man.  
  
"I'm sorry," Kurt told him.  
  
"What are you sorry for Kurt?"  
  
"About this whole mess with Stephanie."  
  
"What's there to be sorry for?"  
  
"For you. I know it must be hard on you."  
  
"We aren't even together or anything Kurt. I probably don't even have the right to be this upset about it."  
  
"Of course you do."  
  
"Whatever," Chris shrugged.  
  
"Chris, do you love her?"  
  
Chris looked at him as if he were insane, "Of course I do. I love her more than...well, than anything."  
  
"Then you have the right. Just because she isn't yours doesn't mean you can't be upset over it. I'm upset and she's just my friend."  
  
"If I had just told her sooner."  
  
"What Chris, maybe she would've been with you. Don't try to analyze the what-if's, it's just futile."  
  
"But she would--"  
  
Kurt silenced him, "Chris, don't. What happened happened, and that's all there is to it."  
  
"I just wish I could've told her."  
  
"You can tell her when she gets better."  
  
"And if she doesn't?" Chris asked.  
  
"Don't think like that. You heard the doctor, no damage."  
  
"But that doesn't mean she's necessarily going to wake up. You heard that too."  
  
"Think positive. That's what she needs right now, positive thinking. And you're not helping one bit with all your death talk."  
  
"But Kurt," Chris said brokenly, "What if she doesn't wake up?"  
  
"Then," Kurt didn't know exactly what to say, "Then we should be happy that's she going somewhere where she won't suffer."  
  
"But how will I go on?"  
  
"You'll just have to."  
  
"That doesn't help," Chris said, laughing shortly.  
  
"Made you laugh didn't I?" Kurt said, chuckling to himself.  
  
"I guess so."  
  
"Look, Stephanie is going to need you, need me, need a lot of people. She'll be fine, I have a feeling about this."  
  
"So I'm going to trust a feeling?"  
  
"When it's my feeling, then yes."  
  
Chris shook his head. Trust Kurt to make him feel better about the whole situation. Hopefully Stephanie would wake up soon, better than ever. Then he could tell her all about his feelings. And maybe, just maybe she'd reciprocate them.  
  
"I think I'm going to go see her."  
  
"Ok, don't say anything to upset her," Kurt joked.  
  
"I don't think I will Kurt."  
  
"Just think of her as sleeping, it makes it a whole lot easier."  
  
Chris nodded, "I'll keep that in mind."  
  
Chris walked slowly back to the ICU. He was dreading seeing her. It broke his heart to see her in his current state. He eventually got there and stood in her doorway. He took a deep breath and stared at her.  
  
He had to be strong for her, and that's just what he was going to do. He was going to be with her every step of her hopeful recovery. He wasn't going to abandon her. He loved her much too much to even do that. If that meant having to watch her waste away, he had to prepare himself.  
  
He wasn't leaving her. And he hoped she didn't leave him. 


	4. Chapter 4

~THE NEXT WEEK~  
  
Chris walked into the room with a big bouquet of flowers. He thought that the room needed a little bit of color. Stephanie would love the colors of the flowers, they were so vibrant. They were a huge contrast from the drab white of her room.  
  
He set the flowers down on the stand next to her bed. He fixed them a little then looked down at Stephanie. She looked like she was sleeping peacefully, but Chris knew better. She had been in a coma for the past week. Chris was getting used to seeing her in this state. He leaned down to kiss her cheek, then took her hand and sat down.  
  
"Hey there Steph. Sorry I couldn't come in yesterday. I was going to, but I had a match at SmackDown that I couldn't miss."  
  
He squeezed her hand.  
  
"I'm in a feud with your ex. I beat him at the last Pay-Per-View, I don't know if I told you that. It should be a good feud."  
  
"It should," a voice came from the door.  
  
Chris looked up and saw the man that he was just talking about. Hunter came over and stood next to the bed, looking down at Stephanie. He felt bad that he hadn't come to see her the past week, despite knowing that she was in the hospital.  
  
"Nice to see you finally came," Chris said, his voice not holding disdain, just stating the outright truth.  
  
"I had to gather up my courage," Hunter said, not taking his eyes off Stephanie.  
  
"I know how that goes," Chris said, looking at Stephanie as well, "You'd think us being tough guys would make this a hell of a lot simpler huh?"  
  
Hunter chuckled softly, "Yeah, you're right. It's just you never prepare to see the woman you used to love lying in a hospital bed in a coma."  
  
"I don't think it's really something you can prepare for."  
  
"Why are you always here Jericho?" Hunter asked curiously.  
  
"I guess I should just say it, I love her," Chris told the other man.  
  
Hunter nodded, "I figured as much. I've figured as much for a while now."  
  
"Was I that transparent?"  
  
"No, but you could just tell."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Steph had a thing for you, you know," Hunter commented off-handedly.  
  
Chris looked up at him, stunned, "She what?"  
  
"I think she had a crush on you for a while there. I mean, she never told me, obviously, since I was married to her, but I could tell."  
  
"I didn't even realize that."  
  
"Yeah, she just got this look on her face whenever she saw you, hard to explain really."  
  
"Wow. I'll let you have a some time alone with her," Chris said, getting up.  
  
He needed to leave, not only for Hunter's benefit, so he could talk to Stephanie, but for his own as well. Stephanie had actually had feelings towards him that weren't animosity and hate. But had her feelings changed, or had she just been masking her feelings every time they interacted?  
  
"Thanks," Hunter said as Chris left the room.  
  
"No problem."  
  
Hunter sat down next to Stephanie, "Hey Steph, it's your ex-husband. I'm half-expecting you to wake up and tell me to get the hell out of here because you hate me so much. I don't really blame you. I was never really the ideal husband was I?"  
  
He took her hand, "That doesn't mean I didn't love you Stephanie, I did love you. I think a part of me still does. I screwed up royally though. I should have realized you were lying to repair us, not to hurt me."  
  
He sighed audibly, "I'm sorry for everything. And I'm sorry you're in here. I'm sorry that you can't be with us right now. Please wake up Stephanie. We all need you, even me. Who else will make my life a living hell?"  
  
Chris sat outside, a part of him wondering what was going on in there. Watch, the moment that Hunter came in, Stephanie would wake up, declare her love for Hunter, and they would run off together and live happily ever after. Chris sighed, he needed to get a grip.  
  
Hunter came out of the room then and Chris looked up. Hunter looked at him sadly, then sat down next to him. The two men had always disliked one another, but now that didn't matter. Everything seemed so unimportant now, so trivial when a woman that one had loved, and one still loved was lying in a coma.  
  
"She looks pretty good," Hunter said, idly.  
  
"Yeah, just like she's sleeping," Chris said.  
  
"Yeah, sleeping," he whispered.  
  
"You don't know what to say either do you?"  
  
"I guess not."  
  
"Yeah, there's really not much to say is there."  
  
"No. I just wonder why this had to happen to her," Hunter said.  
  
"Who knows," Chris told him, "It sucks and it's awful, but I don't think that we can necessarily blame anyone or anything."  
  
Hunter laughed hollowly, "You're right. And I hate that we can't place the blame on one specific person."  
  
"I'm sorry about what happened at the Pay Per View last week," Chris said.  
  
"What's there to be sorry for?"  
  
"Well, I know that I was trying to take out my aggression on you, and I'm sorry for getting carried away with that."  
  
"If I was in your position I would've done the same thing. Do you have any idea when she might wake up?"  
  
"The doctors said that she could wake up at any moment, but that every second she doesn't wake up, that she gets a little bit worse."  
  
"And the longer she's in this coma?"  
  
"The slimmer her chances of surviving. Eventually her body would just stop working, you know fade away," Chris said quietly.  
  
"Oh," was Hunter's only response.  
  
"I just hope it never comes to that."  
  
"I'm sure she knew about your feelings," Hunter said to him.  
  
"I don't think so, I kept them pretty well hidden."  
  
"But still, girls know things, they always do."  
  
"So you think she actually knew about my feelings for her," Chris said, slightly embarrassed.  
  
"Probably. I bet she was flattered at least."  
  
"Flattered, just my luck, she was flattered. I guess I'm just doomed to friendship with Stephanie. It seems that might be all I ever get from her."  
  
"I'm sure once she realizes how much you love her, she won't be able to help but love you back," Hunter said, getting up, "I'm gonna head out. It was nice talking to you."  
  
"Only Stephanie could compel us to have a civil conversation," Chris said.  
  
"Yeah, just don't tell her, she'd throw it in our faces," Hunter smiled.  
  
"Maybe I should tell her, that way she'll wake up just so she can say 'I told you so.'"  
  
"That would be just like Stephanie, just waiting for the right moment to spring up from her bed. She always was obsessed with timing," Hunter said starting to walk away, "Bye Chris."  
  
"Bye."  
  
Chris walked back into Stephanie's room and stood next to her bed once again. It was getting to be so routine to him, just standing there looking at her, day after day. He brushed some of her hair back and stood there. Wondering if she was dreaming or anything, if she saw him in her mind, begging for her return.  
  
"Stephanie, I don't know if you're trying to be stubborn or something, but please, for the sake of everyone involved..."  
  
He paused.  
  
"Come back." 


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys, I'm glad you're enjoying the fic. :)  
  
~  
  
Every day Stephanie slipped away a little more. Every day they lost a little piece of her. They could feel her going, slowly, painfully. Every single second that she lay there with her eyes closed was one more second of torture for those waiting for her to wake up. And the seconds passed slowly.  
  
They passed, and so did time, until it had been six months since Stephanie's accident. Her cuts and bruises were completely healed, but she still didn't wake up. Looking at her, you'd think she was Sleeping Beauty or something. Her hair neatly tucked behind her ears. And her face, so serene, like she was having a wonderful time confined to nothing but her thoughts.  
  
But the people waiting for her to wake up did not wear such similar expressions. They knew that things weren't looking good for Stephanie. And they knew that the longer they pretended like she was still with them was just going to hurt more when they let her go.  
  
"But you said her brain functions are normal," Vince said.  
  
"Yes, they are, but they've remained this way for months on end now, and she's shown no rise or fall in brain activity," the doctor answered.  
  
"So we should just end it is what your saying?" Vince said.  
  
"I would suggest it. Time is trying to tell you that she isn't going to come back."  
  
"Is there a possibility that she will wake up, any at all?" Linda asked.  
  
"Well, every day the percentage drops."  
  
"So what are we looking at right now?"  
  
"A twenty-two percent chance of waking up."  
  
Chris closed his eyes and then opened them to look at Stephanie. Every day he begged her to wake up. And every day she would just lie there silently, not moving. He had become so accustomed to the beeping of machines that when he wasn't in the hospital he always thought that it was too quiet without that rhythmic beeping.  
  
The doctors had come in to talk to Stephanie's parents, and so far this was the one talk that he didn't want to hear. It was a scary thought that he might have to give up Stephanie soon. Why didn't he tell her he loved her before? He had been such a coward and now he was paying for it. He was paying for it dearly.  
  
"Twenty-two percent," Linda said, brokenly.  
  
"What's the best route for us to take?" Vince asked.  
  
"I think that it's time to let her go," the doctor told them, not cutting any corners, just telling them the flat out truth.  
  
"I guess that's what we have to do then," Vince said, his eyes watering, "She's not with us anymore, I guess we just have to let her body go."  
  
"I think you've made the right decision," the doctor told them.  
  
"When would we...let her go?"  
  
"Tomorrow, to give you all a chance to say goodbye."  
  
"Ok, thank you."  
  
The doctor left then and the three of them looked at Stephanie. Yes, it was time to let her go. What was the point in keeping her alive when she wasn't even with them? What, so they could gaze at her, hope against hopes that she'd come back, when it was getting clear that she wasn't coming back.  
  
"Chris, did you want to talk to Stephanie for a while?" Vince said, turning to him.  
  
"Yeah, I've got to get out of here anyways, you know, the show later."  
  
"Ok, we'll be outside," he said, taking a sobbing Linda out into the waiting area.  
  
Chris went and sat next to Stephanie's bedside, a spot that had become like a second home to him over the last several months. He scooted his chair right up to her bed and rested his arms on the bed. Then he rested his chin on his arms.  
  
"I guess this is goodbye Steph," he said, closing his eyes painfully, "Thank you for everything you've ever given me. Thank you for letting me fall in love with you, even if you didn't know it. I hope that wherever you go, you'll be happy, you'll be that wonderful Stephanie that I know you can be. I love you Stephanie, I'll always love you."  
  
He sighed and got up. He couldn't stand to be here anymore, not knowing that Stephanie was going to...die tomorrow. He leaned down and kissed her on the mouth. He just wanted to kiss her once before she died. He could almost feel her kissing back. He pulled away, smiled sadly, then left the room.  
  
"I better get going," Chris said.  
  
"Will you be here tomorrow?" Vince asked.  
  
Chris took one last look at Stephanie, "No, I don't think I will. I don't think I can."  
  
"I understand. Thank you for being a good friend to her Chris."  
  
"Thanks, bye Vince, Linda."  
  
Chris walked out of the hospital. He had a show to go to. He had to be that Chris Jericho that everyone expected him to be. And he would, it was the only place where he felt normal, being in that ring and being able to just forget about everything except for kicking another's guy's ass. It was a way to get the stress out.  
  
That night Chris lay awake in bed. He had long since begun crying and was just thinking. He hated thinking, it only led him to think about more things and his brain would become so jumbled he felt like he would lose control of himself.  
  
The thought on the forefront of his brain were the what-ifs. And those what-ifs will kill you. He remembered a poem he had read a long time ago. It talked about what-ifs, and how they could drive you crazy and make you lose sleep. That's exactly what they were doing. So many different scenarios raced through his mind. Maybe if he had told Stephanie, they would be together and she wouldn't have been in that car.  
  
He turned on his side. He needed to stop thinking about this. He needed rest, but rest wouldn't come. He knew one way to fall asleep though. He went into the min-bar and took out every little bottle of liquor that was in there. As he opened each one, he thought of one more scenario that could've happened. One more way that Stephanie wouldn't be dying tomorrow.  
  
He drank until he couldn't drink anymore. When that moment came, he passed out on the bed. But he didn't even seem to care at that point. If this was what true pain and loss felt like he didn't want to love ever again. What was the point in loving if this could be the outcome?  
  
The next morning Chris woke up with a raging headache. His mouth felt like he had just put a bunch of cotton balls in it and it had sucked his mouth dry. He needed some water and some aspirin desperately. He crawled over to his bag and took out some aspirin, which he took immediately.  
  
Lying in bed waiting for it to kick in, he thought of what he should do that day. He couldn't think of anything else then just driving. Where, he didn't know, didn't care. He just wanted to drive away, anywhere that wasn't that hospital room.  
  
As soon as he felt his headache subsiding, he went and got himself dressed. He made himself look presentable and went down to the lobby. He went out to his rental car. A convertible. He got inside and took the top down. It was a beautiful day. Too beautiful, it should've been raining or cloudy or something. Something to signify the passing of Stephanie McMahon. She would've wanted it to be dramatic as all out.  
  
Chris decided to drive along the coast and went and did so. His hair flowing freely in the morning air. He could see the waves crashing along the sand. It was peaceful and it was just what he needed. It almost calmed him of the fact that at this very moment the woman he loved was going away to the great beyond.  
  
"Goodbye Stephanie!" he yelled into the air, hoping she'd hear it wherever she was.  
  
Meanwhile, Vince, Linda and Shane were in Stephanie's room. They had all decided to be here when the doctors were turning off the machines. They had each said their own personal goodbyes earlier. Linda was sobbing into Vince's shoulder. Shane had his eyes closed in thought.  
  
"Are you ready?" the doctor asked.  
  
"Yes," Vince nodded.  
  
The doctor turned off the machines one by one. One by one the machines turned off. The only machine that was to be left on was her heart monitor. Once they turned off her respirator, she would slowly stop breathing and fade away. They finally turned off the respirator.  
  
The heart monitor kept beeping. Then it started to slow down. They waited for it to stop to one continuous beep.  
  
It didn't. 


	6. Chapter 6

"Doctor, what's going on?" Vince asked as Stephanie's heartbeat just kept on going.  
  
"Well, this is a very rare occurrence," the doctor said to himself, watching Stephanie.  
  
"Why is her heart still going?" Shane said, standing up to look down at his baby sister.  
  
"She's breathing on her own," the doctor told them.  
  
"But I thought that she needed the respirator, and once that was turned off that she would stop breathing."  
  
"It seems that her body's own preservation system was shocked back to life as we turned the machine off."  
  
"What are you saying?" Vince said.  
  
"That she's able to breathe on her own."  
  
"And?"  
  
Her eyes fluttered a little, then opened a little. She couldn't see anything her eyes were so out of focus that she had to close them again. She opened her eyes a little bit more, and then opened them the whole way. She moaned softly then looked up.  
  
"Oh my God!" She could hear someone yelling.  
  
She looked to her side and the first thing she saw was Shane looking down at her, tears in his eyes. Behind him sat her parents. Her mother was sobbing into her dad's shoulder, and her dad was looking at someone on the other side of her. She didn't know what was going on.  
  
"What's wrong Shane?" Vince said.  
  
"Steph, she's awake."  
  
Immediately, her parents got up and went to stand over her. She looked up at them. Where was she? She felt surprisingly well-rested, but other than that, she didn't know anything. Why was everyone crying? She opened her mouth to speak, but found it unbelievably dry. She coughed a couple times.  
  
"What," she tried to say, but her mouth was too dry, "Water, please."  
  
"What's that Stephy?" Shane asked.  
  
"Water," she wheezed.  
  
"Ok, hold on."  
  
Shane went over to the stand next to her bed and grabbed the bottled water that was sitting on it. He turned the cap and opened it up before bringing it over to Stephanie. He held it for her to take a sip, then she swished it around her mouth.  
  
"What's going on?" she asked.  
  
"You were in an accident," Vince told her.  
  
"Accident?"  
  
"A car accident, bad one, you've been in a coma Steph," Shane told her.  
  
"How long?" she asked, blinking a few times, the magnitude of what was happening not fully registering to her.  
  
"Six months baby girl," Shane answered.  
  
Stephanie looked at him, shocked, "Oh."  
  
"You're going to be just fine baby girl."  
  
"Ok."  
  
She tried to sit up, but found that it was difficult to move her arms, she was so sore and stiff. Shane helped prop her up and put a bunch of pillows behind her so that she could sit up properly. She tried to move her arms, but they felt so heavy.  
  
"I can barely move," she commented, still very out of it.  
  
"You'll feel that for a while," the doctor said, "You'll be able to move your arms in a short while, but the walking will take a little longer since you've been in one position for so long."  
  
"Ok," she said.  
  
"I'll leave you and your family alone for now, but we'll have to do some tests later."  
  
"That's fine doctor," Vince said, watching as he left.  
  
Linda came over and sat next to Stephanie and gave her a hug, "My baby, oh my baby."  
  
"Are you ok Mommy?" Stephanie asked.  
  
"Now that you're here I'm fine," she replied.  
  
"We missed you Princess," Vince said, kissing her forehead.  
  
"Daddy, I'm kinda hungry, can you get me food?" she asked.  
  
"Of course Princess, of course," he answered, already out the door to get her something to eat.  
  
"You're still a little out of it aren't you?" Shane said.  
  
"Well, I just woke up from a six-month coma, I don't know what to think."  
  
"It's ok, we'll make sure you get all caught up," he told her.  
  
**********  
  
Chris didn't feel like driving anymore. He had driven most of the day away. And now he was getting hungry. He didn't want to eat, but he knew that he would have to eat something. He couldn't starve himself, as much as the thought of food didn't appeal to him at the moment. He stopped at a bar and grill type place and parked his car.  
  
He got out and went inside. He immediately went to the bar. He could really go for a drink right now. He ordered a beer and sat down. He sighed and wondered how the day had went at the hospital. He vaguely wondered when Stephanie's funeral was going to be, but made that thought quickly disappear from his mind, he didn't want to think about it right now.  
  
"Hi," he heard a voice say beside him.  
  
He looked over and saw a pretty woman sitting next to him, "Hello."  
  
"So you here by yourself?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Me too."  
  
"Well, isn't that a coincidence," Chris said, not really wanting to talk.  
  
"I'm Caila," she said, sticking her hand out.  
  
He shook her hand, "I'm Chris."  
  
"I couldn't help but notice you look sad."  
  
"Yeah, I guess I am kind of sad," he told her.  
  
"Can I help you out?" she asked, almost suggestively.  
  
Chris contemplated his choices. He could flirt with this woman and probably end up in some cheap hotel room having a nice little romp in the sack. It would definitely take his mind off of Stephanie. The other choice, the right one, would be to say no. He didn't want a quick fix for his problems.  
  
"Nah, thanks for the offer though, the woman I loved died today," Chris said, hating the tears that formed in his eyes.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said sympathetically.  
  
"It's ok, actually, I'm just gonna head out, thanks though," Chris said, leaving some money on the bar for his beer.  
  
Chris sighed and got back in his car. It would be easier to get drunk in his hotel room anyways. He didn't like all this drinking he was doing, but he just couldn't find another way to forget Stephanie and the pain of losing her.  
  
He drove quickly back to his hotel and rushed up to his room. He put his pajamas on and went and turned his cell phone off. He also took the hotel phone off the hook, he didn't need any calls right now. Then he sat down in front of the mini-bar. He opened it and once again drowned his sorrows in drink. He fell asleep on the floor.  
  
The next morning he woke up still on the floor. His sat up and he could feel the stiffness in his back and neck. He vowed never to fall asleep on the floor again. And as he felt the room spinning, he'd never get drunk again either. He had a feeling that last one would be hard to do though.  
  
He groggily got up and went looking for some aspirin. He rooted through his bag until he found some and took it. This behavior was getting really bad, he noted. He needed to stop this, he hated feeling this way. He went into the bathroom and washed his face. As soon as he came back out, he grabbed his cell phone and put the hotel phone back on it's hook.  
  
He turned on his cell phone and waited for it to load up. As soon as it did he was surprised by what it said on the display. He had gotten 56 messages since yesterday. Who the hell would call him that many times? He was about to listen to them when his cell phone rang.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Chris, where the fuck have you been?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I've been trying to reach you forever," Kurt said.  
  
"You have?"  
  
"Yeah, it's about Stephanie."  
  
"Oh, so when's the funeral?" Chris asked morosely.  
  
"There isn't going to be one."  
  
"What, they're not going to give her a funeral, what kind of--"  
  
"She woke up, Chris." 


	7. Chapter 7

"Don't fucking mess around with me Kurt!"  
  
"I'm not, she's awake."  
  
"Are you serious?" Chris asked, his eyes closing.  
  
"Yes, dead serious."  
  
Chris could feel the tears already rolling down his cheeks. He wanted to drop down to his knees and thank God profusely. It was like a miracle, it was a miracle, who was he kidding? She was back, she was really back.  
  
"But how?"  
  
"Well, I only heard bits and pieces, but apparently they took her off the machines, but she didn't die. And then she woke up, just out of the blue."  
  
"So she's actually like awake and like herself?"  
  
"Well, I'm not sure, I just heard she was awake."  
  
Chris kept crying, "I've got to see her."  
  
"You got another chance Chris, go get her this time."  
  
"Thanks man."  
  
"Where were you last night and yesterday anyways?"  
  
"Out, drowning my sorrows, you know."  
  
"Well, I hope you don't look too horrible, you don't want the first time Steph seeing you to see you in shambles."  
  
"I'll clean up, don't worry."  
  
"Ok, good luck then, bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
Chris hung up and sat down on the bed. He smiled, probably for the first time in six months. He started laughing uncontrollably, though he didn't exactly know why. It was just all so overwhelming and fortunate. He didn't know quite how to respond to the news.  
  
He got up and went and took a shower. After the shower, he made sure he was freshly shaven and tied his hair back into a ponytail. Deciding that he looked presentable enough he got dressed. He smiled at his reflection and left the room.  
  
He whistled the entire drive to the hospital. God, how your mood could change at the drop of a hat. He had prepared himself to mourn the loss of the woman he loved, but here he was whistling like he didn't have a care in the world, and as far as he was concerned, he didn't.  
  
He got there and stopped in the gift shop in the lobby. He picked up some flowers and headed up to Stephanie's room. He got up there and didn't see any of her family there. They had probably stepped out or something. He walked in the room to see Stephanie reading a book.  
  
He felt his heart rate quicken as he saw her there. It certainly was a change from her normal comatose self. He had almost forgotten what she looked like awake. He knocked on the open door gently and she looked up and smiled.  
  
"Chris, hi," she said brightly.  
  
Chris couldn't stop the huge grin from appearing on his face, "Stephanie, it's so good to see you."  
  
"I'm sure it is, seeing as how I've been in a coma," she said, good- naturedly.  
  
He laughed, "You've got that right. Where's your family?"  
  
"They went out for a while, I told them to leave me alone," she said, laughing, "They've been smothering me since yesterday."  
  
He laughed, "Oh, you poor thing."  
  
"Those for me?" she asked, gesturing towards the flowers.  
  
"Yeah, thought you might like them."  
  
"Well, aren't you gonna come over and give them to me?"  
  
"Sorry, it's just a shock to see you awake," he said, walking over to stand next to her bed.  
  
She took the flowers, "Thank you, they're beautiful."  
  
"Just like you are."  
  
She ducked her head and blushed, "It's good to see you again Chris."  
  
"It's good to see you Stephanie."  
  
She laid the flowers in her lap, "My parents have been trying to get a hold of you since yesterday."  
  
"So I heard from Kurt."  
  
"Yeah, they said you thought I was dying yesterday."  
  
"Yeah, I was just out," he told her, avoiding the truth about why he hadn't been here. He didn't know how much she knew.  
  
"You should've known better Chris, I'm not going anywhere."  
  
"Well, I know that now," he said, smiling softly.  
  
"They told me you've been here almost everyday since I got in my accident," she said, looking down at her flowers, a smile creeping onto her face.  
  
"Um...yeah, I have."  
  
"Thank you," she said simply.  
  
"Thank you for waking up."  
  
She smiled wide, and Chris could feel his heart skip a beat. She always did that to him, she'd always made him feel those peculiar butterflies in his stomach. He had been afraid that feeling would die with her, but it was back, and perhaps stronger than ever.  
  
"It was my pleasure," she laughed, "But seriously, thank you for being such a good friend, it was above and beyond the call of duty."  
  
"You think of me as a friend?" he blurted out incredulously.  
  
He'd never actually thought Stephanie considered him a friend. Someone to be used, sure, but never a friend. He'd always gotten the vibe that Stephanie thought of him as something expendable, needed at certain times, but otherwise dispensable.  
  
"Of course I do," she told him, "I mean, I'd like to think that we're friends, especially after we were business partners."  
  
"I always thought you were just using me," he admitted embarrassedly.  
  
"No Chris, I wasn't trying to use you, I thought you would just do those things cause you were my friend, I'm sorry you thought that. Is that why you left SmackDown?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Oh Chris, you were so wrong, you've been a great friend, for a long time. It hurt me when you left my show."  
  
He looked up at her in surprise, "It did?"  
  
"Yeah, you're one of the people I'm closest to. Aren't you?"  
  
Chris had never in a million years suspected that Stephanie had felt that way. He didn't think that she even gave him any thought after he had left. Instead of thinking of her feelings, he had only thought of his feelings and how much he thought she had hurt him.  
  
"I'd like to think so."  
  
"Good," she smiled genuinely.  
  
"So how long you stuck here for?"  
  
"A while they said."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well, I've been in the same position for months and they said that my muscles are really weak and they need time to adjust so I can't walk."  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry."  
  
"It's ok," she said, "It'll come back, I just need to go through some physical therapy."  
  
"Oh, and when do you start that?"  
  
"Soon, though I'd love to go out today, it's so beautiful," she said, looking longingly out the window into the breezy summer day.  
  
"Well, why can't you?" he asked.  
  
"I can't walk silly."  
  
"Well, can you take a wheelchair?"  
  
"I don't know, I can't push myself, my arms are kind of weak as well, I'm so useless right now," she said rolling her eyes playfully.  
  
"Well, I can push you."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Come on, you haven't been outside in six months, you need some fresh air, it'll do you good."  
  
"Ok."  
  
"I'll go ask the nurses if it's ok."  
  
"Great."  
  
He walked out of her room, a smile firmly planted on his lips. He walked over to the nurses station and asked if he could take Stephanie out into the gardens they had around the hospital. After getting the ok, he grabbed a wheelchair and went back into Stephanie's room.  
  
"They said it was fine."  
  
"Great."  
  
He pushed the wheelchair next to the bed, "Now, can you get in by yourself, or should I carry you?"  
  
"You can carry me," she said without hesitation.  
  
"Why do I get the feeling you can get in the wheelchair and you're just being lazy," he joked.  
  
"Ha ha," she laughed.  
  
"Ok, if you need my help, then I'll give it."  
  
He came around to the side of the bed and pulled the covers off of her. He gently put one arm around her back and the other under her legs. He lifted her off the bed and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He looked at her and she smiled softly at him.  
  
He couldn't help but think she was so incredibly beautiful. He smiled back and set her gently in the wheel chair. She settled herself in it and gingerly lifted her feet to settle them on the footrests provided for her.  
  
"Ready to go?"  
  
"Yup," she said.  
  
"Did you want me to bring anything?"  
  
"No, I think I'm good," she said, looking up at him.  
  
"Then off we go."  
  
He pushed her down the hallway and out into the gardens. He pushed her slowly along the interlocking tracks they had around there. She kept smiling and pointing out things. Chris just delighted in her company and listened to her talk.  
  
"Chris, let's stop here, it's so beautiful," she said, breaking him out of his thoughts.  
  
"Ok Steph," he said, stopping her wheelchair next to a bench, which he himself sat on.  
  
"This is so beautiful don't you think?"  
  
"Yeah, very," he said, looking at her.  
  
She sighed, "It's going to take me a long time to be actually able to walk again and enjoy it more."  
  
"You'll make it though, you're strong."  
  
"Will you help me Chris?" she asked, turning to him.  
  
"If you want my help?"  
  
"I would love it."  
  
"Then there's no place I'd rather be." 


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated for a while, my muses for my other fics were being more cooperative. But thanks for the reviews everyone. :)  
  
~  
  
"So how was rehab today?"  
  
"It was hard," she said, sitting up.  
  
"I know, but it's a necessary evil," Chris told her.  
  
"I know," she saw something behind his back, "So what'd you get me?"  
  
"Who says I got you something?"  
  
"I can see you hiding something, what is it?"  
  
"Well, I just got you some candy," he said, taking a box from behind his back, "A little pick me up after all the hard work you've been doing."  
  
He walked over to her bed and handed her the box. She smiled up at him, and opened it up. It was all her favorite candies. He had been doing such nice things for her for the past month that she had been awake. He made her feel special.  
  
"Thank you Chris, it's very sweet of you."  
  
"I try, so why don't you tell me about rehab?" he asked, sitting down.  
  
"It was hard, it's hard having to learn to walk, well, not learn, but get strong enough."  
  
"I know," he said, tucking some hair behind her ear, "But it'll get easier."  
  
"But guess what?" she said excitedly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I took a couple steps completely on my own today," she said grinning.  
  
Chris got up and hugged her, "That's so awesome."  
  
"I know, I feel like going on a walk or a jog or something," she said laughing.  
  
"Well, it might be a little too soon for that."  
  
"But it's not too soon for me to go home," she said, trying to be subtle.  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked, the tone of his voice getting energized.  
  
"You heard me, I get to go home tomorrow," she said animatedly.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah, the doctor's said that I can just have a physical therapist come by the house and I could go home, isn't that great?"  
  
"That's so awesome," he said, hugging her again.  
  
"And I'd like you to take me home if it isn't too much trouble?" she asked sweetly.  
  
"Well, you're in luck, I don't have any house shows tomorrow, and I'm absolutely free," he smiled.  
  
"Maybe that's because I asked Daddy to give you the day off," she said slyly.  
  
"Why Stephanie, using your name to get time off for me, I feel so special."  
  
"Hey, if I can't be in power, what do I have going for me?"  
  
"Oh, plenty of things, plenty."  
  
"Ok, so you'll be here tomorrow right?"  
  
"Of course I will be."  
  
"Great," she said, then yawned.  
  
"Oh, you look tired, I'll let you rest."  
  
"No, I'm not tired."  
  
"Sure, you've probably worked hard today, I'll just go and see you tomorrow."  
  
"At least stay til I fall asleep," she said, grabbing his hand.  
  
He smiled, "Ok, but just until you fall asleep.  
  
Chris sat down in the chair next to Stephanie's bed as she yawned and closed her eyes. She fell asleep quickly and Chris watched her as she slept. The last month that she had been stuck in the hospital had been hard on her, but she had made a lot of progress.  
  
He stood up and leaned down to kiss her forehead. She murmured a little in her sleep and turned on her side. Chris smiled and watched her for a moment longer. Then he left the room, smiling and thinking about how good it would be for Stephanie to actually get to go home.  
  
The next day rolled around and Chris made his way to the hospital from the hotel he'd been staying at for the weekend. He arrived and went straight up to Stephanie's room. He walked in and found her already dressed and packed. She looked up and smiled.  
  
"It's about time, I'm ready to get outta here," she said.  
  
"I came as soon as I could," he said.  
  
"Not soon enough buddy," she joked.  
  
"Hey, I'm your ticket out of here, you might want to treat me a little better," he said, going to pick up her bag.  
  
"Well, then, you're the sweetest man alive."  
  
"That's more like it, so when can you leave?"  
  
"As soon as the nurse gets a wheelchair in here."  
  
As if on cue, the nurse came in pushing a wheelchair. She smiled and pushed it close to the bed. With the nurse's help, Stephanie got into the wheelchair and Chris wheeled her out of the hospital. He lifted her into the car that he was driving and she waved to the hospital staff as Chris pulled away from the hospital and started to drive her back to her house.  
  
"So you're staying with me right?" Stephanie asked, looking over at him.  
  
"Yeah, you're dad gave me a couple weeks off, that way when I eventually go back to work you'll be able to take care of yourself."  
  
"Thank you Chris, I didn't want to have to move back in with my parents," she laughed.  
  
He grabbed her hand, "I understand. There's nothing worse than moving back in with your parents."  
  
"Yeah, and they've spoiled me and babied me enough for two lifetimes."  
  
"Yeah, but do you really blame them? I mean, we all thought you were lost forever."  
  
"I know, I'm still sorry about that," Stephanie said slowly.  
  
"It's ok, the accident wasn't your fault."  
  
"I know, but still."  
  
He gave her hand a companionable squeeze, "Stephanie, we're just happy that you're here and with us."  
  
"Chris, why are you so nice to me?"  
  
Chris swallowed audibly. Should he tell Stephanie he loved her here and now? He didn't really want to, I mean, they were in a car, and it was probably the least romantic way to tell someone you loved them. He decided now wasn't the right time.  
  
"You're my friend," he said simply.  
  
"Yes, but you've gone way above and beyond the call of duty. I mean, you're with me every free moment. I'm sure there's tons of things you'd rather do than be stuck with a girl who can't even walk."  
  
"I like spending time with you," he said, "And you don't waste my time."  
  
"Are you sure? I don't want to keep you from your life?"  
  
"Steph, you're a big part of my life," he admitted, and that was all he was going to admit right now.  
  
"You know what Chris?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You're life makes me sad," she said laughing.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"If I'm your life then you need to get away from me more, because let me tell you, I'm not worth it."  
  
"Hey, don't say that, you are definitely worth it, and then some."  
  
She giggled and rolled her eyes, "Chris, you know I appreciate you and everything, but come on, you can't be serious. I mean, you should go out there and have fun, meet girls...."  
  
"You're a girl, I'm with you, what more do you want?" he said.  
  
"But Chris, we're not even together. I mean, sure, if I was your girlfriend I could understand you sticking by my side, but we're just friends," she told him.  
  
Chris felt those words cut through him like a knife. Just friends, story of his life. Of course Stephanie thought of him as just a friend. Stupid him thought it could be more, stupid him thought they could be together. Stupid pipe dreams. Who was he kidding, they would always be "just friends."  
  
"So you're saying you don't want me to stay with you?" he asked, not looking over at her.  
  
"No, no, that's not it at all. I'd love for you to stay with me, I just don't get why you do?"  
  
"Like I said, I'm your friend," he said evenly, "But if you don't want me to stay with you, you can just come right out and say it, I wouldn't--"  
  
Stephanie kissed the back of his hand, "I want you to stay with me."  
  
Chris was shocked by the display of affection she was giving him. It wasn't like a real kiss or anything, but it was something. He chanced a glance over at Stephanie and she gave him a big grin. He found himself grinning back at her.  
  
"Steph, can I ask you a question?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"When we were business partners, did you ever, I don't know, think there could be more between us?"  
  
"Well, that's an odd question," she said, biting her lip in thought, "What do you mean by more?"  
  
"Like us together?" he said nervously awaiting her answer.  
  
Sometimes he hated the way he felt around Stephanie. Sometimes he felt like a silly little boy who couldn't come clean with his feelings for her. What was so difficult? Rejection, that was what held him back. The big, bad Chris Jericho was afraid of being rejected by Stephanie McMahon.  
  
"Not really," she admitted, "But I mean, it has crossed my mind."  
  
Chris felt a smile creeping up on his lips, "It has?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess, no biggie," she shrugged, not getting what he was trying to ask.  
  
"Yeah, no biggie," he muttered, smiling to himself.  
  
They arrived at Stephanie's house and Chris pulled into the driveway. He stopped the car and got out. He walked over to Stephanie's side and opened the door for her. He picked her up and took her to the front door where she unlocked it. He carried her inside.  
  
"It feels so good to be home," she said, looking at him.  
  
Chris was so close to her. He could smell the peach shampoo that she used and every time she turned her head, her hair would hit his neck softly. Her hands were clasped behind his neck and Chris could just imagine her playing with his hair as she leaned in to kiss him.  
  
"Do you want to go upstairs?"  
  
"Sure," she said, "My room is the one at the end of the hall."  
  
"Ok."  
  
He took her upstairs and then to her room. He set her down on the edge of the bed and then pulled the covers back before picking her up and setting her in the bed. She pulled the covers over her up to her waist and sat up in bed.  
  
"Comfortable?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, a real bed, it's fabulous."  
  
"Ok, well, I'm going to go get my stuff and then make some food for us, so if there's anything you need, don't be afraid to yell at me," he said, smiling.  
  
"Could I have some more pillows so I can sit up more?" she asked nicely.  
  
"Of course."  
  
Chris grabbed the pillows to the side of her and put them behind her back propping her up. He fluffed them up a little and was about to pull away from her when she grabbed the back of his head and pulled her towards him. Chris wondered if she needed something else, but found out quickly what she was up to.  
  
Stephanie's lips brushed lightly across his and Chris almost bolted back in shock. The only thing that kept that from happening was her firm grip on the back of his neck. She deepened the kiss, and despite his astonishment he kissed her back. She pulled away moments later.  
  
"Yeah," she whispered, "I've definitely thought about being more." 


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Yes, I know it's almost been two years since I updated this story, and that I've started and finished stories in the time since I've last updated this, but I hate having stories unfinished. So here's the next chapter, and I'm hoping to update this in a more timely fashion next time, of course, that gives me a two year time frame, but I think it should be a lot sooner next time.

Hope you enjoy, and please review so I don't think that this is complete crap. ;)

* * *

Chris looked deeply into Stephanie's eyes. What in God's name had possessed her to kiss him like that? Not that he hadn't desired a kiss from her. He had been anticipating this day for years, but that didn't assuage his shock at the actual action of kissing.

"Wh-what do you mean?" he stuttered.

"That I've thought about being more with you," she said coyly, her mouth turning up into a half-smile.

"But you said we were just friends."

"Oh please Chris, don't tell me you actually believed that?" she laughed.

He thought back to when Hunter had first visited Stephanie in the hospital. He had told Chris that Stephanie had once had a thing for him. Was it possible that she still had a thing for him? That she was indeed as in love with him as he was with her. Maybe she wasn't AS in love with him as she was with her. Or maybe she wasn't in love with him, but she at least liked him a lot. He would take that.

"You don't want to be just friends?"

"Well, I mean, I like being friends with you, but you have to be crazy if you think I haven't wanted more out of our relationship at one time or another."

"Well, I mean, I don't know."

"Chris, you've thought about it haven't you?"

"More than you think," he told her.

"Oh really?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Chris sat on the bed opposite her, "Stephanie, come on, think for a minute. Why did I visit you everyday in the hospital?"

"Because you were my friend," she shrugged.

Chris gave her a look like that was anything but the right answer. He knew that pretty soon everything was going to come out, how he loved her and everything. He still wasn't sure how she would take the news, but he knew it was all going to come spilling out very soon.

"You were anything but my friend."

She laughed, "Well, that's good I guess."

"You have the worst way of understating things Stephanie," Chris said with a smile, "But I just love that about you anyways."

"So everyday in the hospital, you were there because you…"

"Couldn't stand the thought that one day I could be without you, so I spent every second there hoping that you would wake up. It took you a while, but you finally did."

"Yeah, I'm sorry it took me so long."

"I don't think that the wait was exactly in your realm of control."

She smiled and reached her hand out to grab his. Her touch was so light since she was still so weak and had lost a lot of weight while she was in a coma. He ran his thumb over her knuckles and she just looked at him. She should've seen it sooner, looking now, she could tell as if it were the clearest thing she had ever seen.

"The day of your accident, I was going to tell you how much I loved you and adored you, and you had to go and get yourself almost killed and I thought that I'd never get to tell you."

"Tell me now," she told him softly.

Chris took a deep breath. This was the moment he had been waiting for, for six full months. He almost couldn't believe that it was here, because it was almost too good to be true. He bit his lip for a moment and tried to think of exactly what he wanted to say and what he needed to say. Stephanie waited anxiously. She had always felt that there was something more between Chris and her; she was just too afraid to admit it to herself.

"I love you, and I've loved you for a long time. I just thought that you didn't love me because you hated me and then when you and I became business partners, I thought that you were just using me again. But yeah, I love you."

"I love you too."

"You do?"

"How could I not? I mean, you sat by my bedside every day, waiting for me to wake up. You were probably there more than my mother and father. How could I not love a man willing to give up so much to a woman who might not ever wake up? You went above and beyond anything that I could've hoped for. You kept me in other people's minds Chris, that's what you did for me."

"People would've remembered you anyways."

"I don't know, people forget easily, you could've forgotten me pretty easily."

"I don't think that would've happened," he said, holding her hand a little bit tighter. "I…missed you. I missed hearing your voice. When I looked at you, it was like, you were this empty shell and you weren't really in there."

"I was there. I might not have seemed like I was, but I was there."

"I just hope you didn't hear any of my desperate pleas for you to wake up," he said jokingly.

"Was that what those were," she joked back, playing with his fingers. "You did more for me than anyone has ever done for me. I'm so used to not having anyone care for me, not the way that you did."

"It was my pleasure."

"But the thing is you didn't have to. I mean, after the first month, you could've left me, and I would've been none the wiser. Why did you stay with me for six months when there was no progress whatsoever?"

"I guess that when you love someone, you're willing to go to the extreme for them," he shrugged, not really knowing the answer to that. "It was like, if I didn't go see you, I felt like…like I had let you slip away somehow. That it was one less day that I would get to see you in case…in case you died."

"But I'm sure you would've found someone," she said, not really sure where she was trying to go with this conversation, but feeling the need to know why Chris had stuck around, even when sometimes there was no hope that she would even wake up again.

"Why go through the trouble finding someone, when you were always there," he said, causing her to giggle. "I don't know why Steph, I don't know why I had to see you, but I know that I had to, and that's just what happened."

"Thank you…I can't say it enough, but thank you…for everything," she told him, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. "I mean, there's so many times you could've just given up, but you didn't."

"Your family didn't either."

"But they're my family, they have to keep believing, you didn't. You kept coming back, even when there was so slim a chance that I would ever wake up."

"But you DID wake up," he told her. "And that's what counts…so are we dating or something?"

"I don't know," she laughed. "I mean, I'm kind of dependent on you."

"But not for long. I'm sure you'll be back on your feet and then you won't need me anymore."

"Aww, come on, I'm sure I can have you do my bidding. I've already got you wrapped around my finger, don't I?"

"Don't let that little secret get around ok? Because I don't need to hear from the guys how whipped I am."

"Ok, I guess I can keep it our little secret," she said, leaning in for another sweet kiss. Chris rested his hand lightly on her side, rubbing gently and sending tingling feelings towards Stephanie's core. "Don't get me all worked up Mr. Jericho, I might find sudden strength in my legs and ravage you."

"I'd welcome that Miss McMahon," Chris said, pulling away from her face. "Do you need anything?"

"No, I don't think I do, but how about you lie here with me and watch TV?"

"I would love to, but I have to run some errands. There's no food in this house, and I have to get your prescriptions and things. So you just stay here, and I have my cell phone with me if you need anything all right?"

"Fine," she sighed. "Leave the lady all by herself."

"You'll be fine," he said. "Just relax."

"Ok," she nodded. "Don't be long."

"I'll try not to be."

Chris left the room, letting Stephanie settle against the pillows and grab the remote to her television. He went about his errands, buying enough food for ten people, and getting Stephanie's prescriptions that she had to take, courtesy of the doctor. He tried to rush as fast as he could, because he wanted to spend every moment with Stephanie, and every moment away from her was just not that fun.

When he got back home, he went upstairs to ask Stephanie what she wanted to have for dinner, and found that she was asleep. Since she had had to sleep in that God awful hospital bed for months and months, Chris decided to let her sleep. He went back downstairs and started making dinner anyways. She might wake up and get hungry, so he made enough for her too.

He was simply stirring some pasta sauce in a pot when he felt two arms wrap around his waist and he stiffened, not knowing who that could be. It couldn't be Stephanie because Stephanie couldn't walk. He turned around, but his eyes widened as he saw that it WAS Stephanie and she was smiling up at him sleepily, obviously just having woken up. Chris's jaw slacked at his looked at her standing there.

"Stephanie, how the hell did you get down here!" Chris asked incredulously.

"I walked," she answered nonchalantly.

"But…but…you…how?"

"It was tough, let me tell you," she laughed. "It took me twenty minutes to get down here, but I managed. Hanging onto tables and banisters, and anything I could grab a hold of. I got bored upstairs, and I wanted to see what you were making cause it smells divine."

"But you…the doctors said you couldn't walk."

"I told you I took a few steps in therapy. Well, you can't keep Stephanie McMahon down," she smiled proudly. "If I want to walk, then I'll do as I damn well please."

Chris just shook his head, staring down at her. "It must hurt though."

"A little. I'm just stiff is all," she answered. "I guess you were too into the food to hear me stumbling around here."

"I guess I was a little preoccupied. Do you want me to help you to the table?" he asked.

"No, I'll just watch you cook," she answered, then pointed, "From the barstools."

"Do you need help?"

"Nope," she said, grinning mischievously.

She gripped onto the countertop and took a few clumsy steps. Her legs were weak and Chris could tell, but she seemed to ignore that, judging from the look on her face. She was acting as if this was nothing, and she could do anything she wanted, which was true. She made her way slowly to the barstools and using an amazing amount of strength she sat herself down.

"I may need help getting down though," she said, leaning her chin in her hand as she watched Chris. "Don't look so shocked Chris. It's not as easy as it looks."

"But you made it all the way downstairs."

"Yeah, so," she said noncommittally.

"Ok, well, dinner is almost ready."

She smiled and he went back to cooking, knowing her eyes were on him the whole time. He felt a little bit awkward, just having her staring at him like that. She pointed out things that he couldn't find and he set the table. Stephanie did in fact need help getting off the stool, but she made her way slowly to the table and sat herself down.

"I hope the foods not cold," she joked. He laughed and pushed her chair in, Stephanie smiling up at him in thanks.

The meal was delicious and the table talk light and joking. Chris was just happy to be here with her, and Stephanie was happy to be home, and eating a real meal, and not that crap they served at the hospital. It was just a nice time for the both of them. Almost like a date, if they really thought about it hard, but it was comfortable too, like they had been doing this forever.

They could both get used to this.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: I just decided to end the story so that it would actually have a conclusion. For those of you still reading, thanks for sticking by this story when I pretty much lost the words with which to tell it. If you want to read it and leave a review, that's always appreciated. Thanks so much. :)

* * *

Stephanie's rehabilitation was arduous and a lot of days she would get frustrated at how weak her legs were. But being a McMahon didn't afford her the luxury of quitting. She hated being in a wheelchair when she went out, and she hated having to rely on others to take her places. So she had fought her way back, and now she only had to walk with the aid of a cane. She still had a slight limp, but she went to the gym with Chris every other day, and she was getting stronger and stronger.

Chris had been such a help to her, and she couldn't help but fall a little deeper in love with him every day that she was with him. It was the simple way that he was there for her every day, through her ups and her downs that she went through trying to rehab from her accident. He heard her ranting and he sat through it and when she wanted to give up, he would quietly encourage her to push herself further, knowing that the end was in sight. And he had been right, and she was grateful for his undying support.

"Hey, you ready to go to the restaurant?" Chris asked her as he walked into the bedroom.

"Yeah," she said, putting her earring in. "Are you sure that you want to go though, we don't have to go."

"I think that we kind of have to go," he told her with a laugh. "It's not the kind of event I think your parents would appreciate us missing, or my parents for that matter, or anyone."

"It's going to be all about my miraculous recovery," she told him. "I'm a little tired of walking around and having everyone marvel at the way that I'm able to walk. I feel like I'm a baby who's walking for the first time."

"Everyone is just happy that you're up and your mobile," he told her. "Especially me of course."

"Of course," she told him with a wink. "I thought you would hate it since I can move around when we have sex now and I don't just lie there like I'm a bump on a log."

"Any time I get to have sex with you, it's something pretty great," he told her, and she simultaneously blushed and glared at him. He laughed and bent down to kiss her cheek. "I think that we'll be okay tonight, don't you think?"

"I think we're okay every night," she told him, and he smiled at that too.

Their relationship couldn't have been going any better if she tried. It was hands down the best relationship that she had ever been in before, but it was also the first relationship where she felt the give-and-take that should be the foundation of a relationship. Yes, they fought, probably more than most couples did, but they understood how fortunate they were to be where they were, especially Chris. He had seen what life was like without Stephanie, and he knew that it was a bland existence, so he tried extra hard to be patient with her.

Stephanie, for her part, was learning that it was okay to lean on someone else, and she didn't need to always be in control. She didn't have a real say in the matter, however, since she had been pretty immobile for the first few weeks of their relationship. There was nothing that said good relationship like having to be carried up the stairs every night because you couldn't climb them yourself. But it was okay to rely on Chris, and he was always there to be relied upon, and she had learned just how to appreciate that.

"My parents will be amazed to see you walking, so I'm warning you right now, if anyone is going to marvel at you, it's going to be them," he told her.

"That's okay, they're allowed," she said. "I'm just glad that I'm not still in the wheelchair, I just felt so ineffectual in that."

She stood up and Chris handed her cane. She took it and leaned on it as they started to walk out of the room and down the stairs, Stephanie holding onto one of Chris's arms to steady herself. They made their way down slowly and at the bottom, Stephanie kissed him, relishing in the way his lips felt so soft and inviting. This was something they did, just a silent way of constantly thanking him for being there for her. Again, it was the little things that made this relationship really work.

The restaurant was buzzing with people and they were applauded when they walked inside. Stephanie guffawed at everyone, but Chris just ate it up, bowing and doing a little twirl as he led Stephanie over to their table. Before she could sit down though, Chris's parents, whom she had become great friends with since she had been with Chris, came over, hugging her and Chris.

"You look wonderful," Loretta told her.

"Thanks," Stephanie said. "I tried to look nice, you know."

"You look happy," she whispered and Stephanie nodded eagerly. "I can't believe how well you're walking now. You probably don't even need the cane, do you?"

"It relieves some of the pressure," Stephanie said. "But I don't really need it, I'm not going to use it tomorrow or anything. I've been practicing walking without it, so I don't need to garner any more sympathy."

Chris leaned over, "Because you hate the sympathy so much."

"Don't be sarcastic with me," she responded. "I hate when people pity me, and I'm not going to have anyone pity me tomorrow. There will be a lot of people who haven't seen me in a while, and I want them to see me as I was, not that shriveled up vegetable who was in a coma for so long."

"You're going to be great," Loretta told her. "I'm just happy that you're walking again. I know that it must've been hard."

"Stephanie's tough though, aren't you? Surviving a coma for that long, she's gotta be tough," Chris said proudly as he wrapped his arm around her.

"It was like a long nap. I think it was the best sleep I ever got," she joked. Chris loved that she could joke about it, that they could joke about it now. It hadn't been much fun while it was happening, but now that it was all over, now that she was almost back to one hundred percent, he could look at it with a laugh and a joke.

It could've turned out differently, he reminded himself everyday. It very possibly could've turned out differently, and he thanked God every day that it didn't. He had thought the woman laughing next to him was going to die, and that had been the worst feeling he could ever imagine. The thought of her going to the grave and never knowing how he felt about her…but he didn't have to worry about that now, because she knew exactly how he felt about her, how he had felt for a long time.

"You're quiet, I told you that we didn't have to come, things would've run smoothly without us," Stephanie whispered to him.

"No, I'm not being quiet, I'm just thinking," he said to her.

"About what's going to happen?"

"No, just about what happened to you, you know, the accident, the coma, all of that, and how we can joke about it now. It didn't seem like we could before."

"Well, with me being comatose, yeah, it would be difficult to joke around with me."

"You know what I mean," he said, dropping his voice to belie the seriousness of his words. "When you are in a coma, I thought I'd never get to tell you how I felt, that I'd have this…unrequited love for you forever, and I would ultimately regret that I never got to tell you how I felt."

"Oh, that's sweet, you would've pined for me forever."

"I didn't say that I would pine for you," he protested. "I probably would've moved on, but then you would've always weight on my head, you know, because you're…I would've never gotten to tell you just how much I love you."

"I decided that I just couldn't die and not hear that, I needed to live so I could know just how much of a sucker you were for me, and wow, it's a lot," she giggled, but then her face turned serious too as she laid her hand on his cheek. "Seriously though, Chris, I think on some level I knew, and so even if I had died, I would hope that you knew that I felt it too."

"It just seemed a waste, not getting to tell you."

"It would've been," she nodded, "and I never would've been able to tell you just how much you meant to me."

"I mean that much to you."

"No guy would ever wait for a girl to walk before he could have everything he wanted," she explained. "I just don't see many guys being as patient with me as you are. I know that I've been horrible sometimes in this rehab process--"

"You haven't," he interjected, and she rolled her eyes and shook her head, her eyes calling him out.

"Yes, I was, sometimes I'd get so frustrated, like when I threw that statue at your head, and you had to duck out of the way before I put _you_ into a coma. I mean, you stuck it out with me through every frustration, and you never needed to. You never needed to sit by my bed for those months I was gone, and you'll never know how grateful I am that you did that for me."

Sometimes it amazed Chris how much he didn't know about Stephanie and yet had still fallen in love with her anyways. There were so many facets to her, and when he would sit by her bed, he wondered if he really knew her at all, and it turned out that he hadn't, not the deep down things. But he was learning, and had learned so much already, and he felt like he could step up to anything with her. They had weathered a storm already and they had come out alright.

"Speech, speech, speech!" Shane started shouting as he clinked on his glass.

"From who?" Chris asked loudly to Shane.

"Who do you think? You guys," Shane answered and Chris groaned audibly. Shane stood up and spoke, "Come on, you have to give one, it doesn't even have to be long, you jut need to give one."

"Stephanie can do it," Chris said, glancing over at her. She bit her lip and gave him a look, but she stood up.

"Okay, so everyone wants me to make a speech, so I hope I don't disappoint…Thank you all for coming here tonight, it means a lot to me personally. Some of you I haven't seen in a while, and most of you, I have, but I know that you're thinking to yourself, 'wow, she's made a miraculous recovery,' and in part, yeah, I have. I have because I've worked hard, and more importantly, I have because I have a great guy who didn't give up on me. Chris, you never gave up on me, not one single day, not when I was hurt, not when I was stuck in that bed without being able to communicate to anyone, and not when I was getting better. I love you for that, and if anyone questions what kind of heart you have or what kind of person you are, you never need to worry because I'll be there to tell you that you're the best. You've helped me so much, and you've loved me so much that I think it makes my heart hurt sometimes because I don't know how I can possibly repay you short of putting you into a coma and then staying by your side," everyone laughed at that, "I'm happy to be with you, and I'll always be happy to be with you. I love you…simply put, that's all, I love you."

Chris grinned so wide it threatened to hurt his entire face. She sat down and he pulled her into a hug as everyone clapped for them. He didn't need to tell her he loved her, but he said it anyways, just to tell her, just to get those words out. When she pulled away, she tugged on his hair a little bit, making him look her in the eyes.

"I meant every word of that, you know…"

"Yeah, I kind of figured," he told her with a smile. "I wouldn't do it all over again though, just so _you_ know."

"Oh really, you wouldn't?"

"No way, I'd never wish you into a coma again, so I guess if I had to do it over, I'd have to be a man and just tell you how I feel."

"I can live with that," she said. "I can definitely live with that."

By the time they got home later that evening, Stephanie was pretty exhausted and needed to hang onto Chris's arm when they were walking up the stairs. When they reached the middle of the staircase though, he just decided to sweep her into his arms and carry her upstairs, much to her protest.

"I don't want you tired out for tomorrow," he told her.

"How noble of you then," she joked with him. But truth be told, she was kind of happy he had carried her. She was getting tired and she didn't feel like walking up the stairs. That was still a problem with her. Her legs got tired very easily, but with more strength conditioning that too would be a thing of the past. She just needed to keep working on it, give it time. And she did need to keep her strength up for tomorrow, it was a big deal for her. She told herself it would be worth it tomorrow.

And it was worth it.

Because Stephanie got to walk down the aisle in her wedding dress, no cane, no limp, just a smile towards Chris who was waiting for her.

He had waited for this, for her, for his life to begin.

And now it could.

THE END


End file.
